Surah Hud, Ayah 85 (11:85)

هُود

وَيَٰقَوْمِ أَوْفُوا۟ ٱلْمِكْيَالَ وَٱلْمِيزَانَ بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۖ وَلَا تَبْخَسُوا۟ ٱلنَّاسَ …

Quran 11:85 is ayah 85 of Surah Hud (“Hud”), a Meccan surah of 123 ayahs. It is in Juz 12, on page 231 of the Madani Mushaf.

11:85
وَيَٰقَوْمِأَوْفُوا۟ٱلْمِكْيَالَوَٱلْمِيزَانَبِٱلْقِسْطِ ۖوَلَاتَبْخَسُوا۟ٱلنَّاسَأَشْيَآءَهُمْوَلَاتَعْثَوْا۟فِىٱلْأَرْضِمُفْسِدِينَ٨٥
wayāqawmi awfū l-mik'yāla wal-mīzāna bil-qis'ṭi walā tabkhasū l-nāsa ashyāahum walā taʿthaw fī l-arḍi muf'sidīna

And O my people, give full measure and weight in justice and do not deprive the people of their due and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption.(85)

Word by word

  1. وَيَٰقَوْمِwayāqawmiAnd O my people
  2. أَوْفُوا۟awfūGive full
  3. ٱلْمِكْيَالَl-mik'yālameasure
  4. وَٱلْمِيزَانَwal-mīzānaand weight
  5. بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۖbil-qis'ṭiin justice
  6. وَلَاwalāand (do) not
  7. تَبْخَسُوا۟tabkhasūdeprive
  8. ٱلنَّاسَl-nāsathe people
  9. أَشْيَآءَهُمْashyāahum(of) their things
  10. وَلَاwalāand (do) not
  11. تَعْثَوْا۟taʿthawact wickedly
  12. فِىfīin
  13. ٱلْأَرْضِl-arḍithe earth
  14. مُفْسِدِينَmuf'sidīnaspreading corruption

Tafsir (commentary) of 11:85

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English · EnglishTafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

This commentary explains ayahs 11:85–86 together.

First, he (Shu`ayb) prohibited them from cheating in business by decreasing the weights whenever they gave (products) to people.

He commanded them to give just measure and weight whether they were giving or receiving (in transactions). He also forbade them from causing mischief and corruption in the land. This was due to their practice of highway robbery along the roads. Abu Ja`far bin Jarir said,

بَقِيَّتُ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ

(That which is left by Allah (after giving the rights of the people) is better for you,) "This means what you gain from your successful business dealings in which you have given just measure, is better for you than wrongfully taking the wealth of the people." Ibn Jarir said that this statement has been reported from Ibn `Abbas and I say it is similar to Allah's statement,

قُل لاَّ يَسْتَوِى الْخَبِيثُ وَالطَّيِّبُ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكَ كَثْرَةُ الْخَبِيثِ

(Say: "Not equal are Khabith (all that is evil) and Tayyib (all that is good), even though the abundance of Khabith may please you.")5:100 Allah then says,

وَمَآ أَنَاْ عَلَيْكُمْ بِحَفِيظٍ

(And I am not a guardian over you.) This means a watcher over you people. In other words, "Do this for Allah and not to be seen by the people."

Read the full Surah Hud